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Olney’s Latest: Manny, Peavy, Fuentes

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ESPN’s Buster Olney has a bunch of new info in today’s blog.

  • Olney continues to wonder if Manny Ramirez and Scott Boras will "wave the white flag" and accept the Dodgers’ offer of arbitration.  It could result in a huge one-year salary, and the current market for Manny is not robust.  However, Peter Abraham said in July that a condition of Manny’s trade was that he would decline arbitration.  Did anyone else write this?  Hopefully a journalist will ask Boras about it soon.
  • Olney says the Cubs would love to have Adam Dunn in their lineup, but he’s a stretch as a full-time right fielder.  The Cubs are willing to sacrifice some defense in right, but how much?
  • Could Dunn or Pat Burrell wind up with the Rays on an affordable one-year deal?
  • The Cubs and Padres "have a basic framework in place" for a Jake Peavy deal built around third baseman Josh Vitters.  Things may pick up after the Cubs’ ownership situation is resolved.
  • The Astros don’t have a ton of flexibility to move their high-salaried stars, but Jose Valverde is one they can deal without restriction.  He’s due for a nice raise from this year’s $4.7MM.
  • Olney suggests the Rockies were wise to trade Matt Holliday when they did, or they might’ve gotten significantly less.
  • Olney speaks of "a belief within the Rockies’ organization" that Brian Fuentes could come back on a multiyear deal.  The Rockies could trade Huston Street in that case.
  • The Braves may push A.J. Burnett for an answer before C.C. Sabathia signs, in case the Yanks miss out on C.C. and come after Burnett.
  • Apparently there is "serious tension" between Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski and manager Jim Leyland.
  • Olney sees Rafael Furcal signing with the A’s.

Rafael Furcal Rumors: Monday

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ESPN’s Jayson Stark has the latest on free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal.  Furcal’s agent Paul Kinzer doesn’t see his client signing before the winter meetings, which kick off next week.

Four teams are in on Furcal: the Giants, A’s, Braves, and a mystery team.  Stark talked to execs who guessed the Red Sox or Orioles could be the fourth team.  That team apparently has to make a trade to open up their shortstop position.  In a recent poll of over 6,000 MLBTR readers, the A’s won the vote as the team most likely to sign Furcal.

The Braves’ interest will pick up if they trade shortstop Yunel Escobar first.  We knew about the Padres; Stark says the Cardinals and Royals also expressed interest in Escobar.

A’s Rumors: Furcal, Embree, Thomas

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Joe Stiglich of the Contra Costa Times has a few A’s rumors:

  • Stiglich spoke with Rafael Furcal’s agent, Paul Kinzer, and heard that it will be the middle of next week at the earliest that Furcal decides where he’d like to sign. It no longer seems likely that Furcal will narrow his options down to two teams this weekend.
  • In a poll earlier in the week, 32% of MLBTR readers said they expected Furcal to sign with the A’s, who had the most votes of any team by far.
  • The Rockies are interested in free agent reliever Alan Embree, but the A’s are considering brining him back for another year.
  • And the A’s are deciding whether to offer arbitration to Embree and Frank Thomas.

Rafael Furcal Rumors: Wednesday

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7:58pm: Kinzer told Joe Stiglich of the Contra Costa Times that the A’s are "right at the top of the list."

7:05pm: Kinzer revealed to Yahoo’s Tim Brown that the two unknown Furcal suitors "have to make some moves first."  So think of teams with incumbent shortstops, like the Braves.  Or perhaps a team that has to clear payroll like the Cubs.

4:25pm: Kinzer told Haft they’ll have it down to two teams before Monday or Tuesday.  The A’s, Giants, and two other clubs are still in the mix for Furcal.  This time, Kinzer told Haft he did talk to the Giants yesterday.  It’s unknown whether he has an offer from San Francisco, but there’s nothing from the A’s yet.

12:55pm: Susan Slusser and Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle learned that Kinzer did have talks with the Giants about Furcal on Tuesday.  MLB.com’s Chris Haft had Kinzer saying last night that he hadn’t spoken to Giants officials in two days.

10:11am: Rafael Furcal met with the A’s yesterday, and it’s not a stretch to suggest they’re the frontrunner for his services.  SI.com’s Jon Heyman says the A’s, Giants, Cubs, Dodgers, Braves, and a mystery team remain involved.  Interesting note from Heyman:

Furcal’s agent, Paul Kinzer, said by phone that he hasn’t fielded a correct guess from any media member on said mystery team. I gave it a shot on Tuesday night, throwing out the Reds — who appear to be in the mix on some surprising names — but he said that was incorrect.

Jon!  No!  You wasted your guess.  I believe the mystery team boils down to the Indians or Twins.  Thoughts? 

A’s Interested In Nick Johnson, Jason Giambi

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3:06pm: Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle has more.  She says the A’s checked in on Johnson a month ago, and they’re looking into multiple first base/DH types that fit the affordable/solid OBP mold.  Slusser believes Jason Giambi remains the A’s top target, assuming he backs off his three-year demand.  She adds that the A’s want to keep Daric Barton and get him back on track.

12:59pm: MLB.com’s Bill Ladson talked to a baseball source who says the A’s received Johnson’s medical records but trade talks have not yet begun.  Ladson’s source added that several other teams have Johnson’s records as well.

9:33am: I missed this nugget in Ken Rosenthal’s column last night, but fortunately DRays Bay found it:

The A’s have requested and received the medical records of Nationals first baseman Nick Johnson, who underwent season-ending wrist surgery last June.

On paper, adding Matt Holliday, Rafael Furcal, and Johnson would transform Oakland’s offense.  Of course, Furcal and Johnson are injury risks.  Johnson is set to earn $5.5MM in ’09 after missing most of the ’08 season.  The asking price for him can’t be terribly high, yet he’s capable of a .400 OBP and would benefit from the chance to DH occasionally.

I initially had a note here about Jim Bowden and Billy Beane matching up in ’03 on the Jose Guillen–Aaron Harang trade, but I just read that Bowden was fired a few days before the deal.

Rafael Furcal Rumors: Tuesday

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10:30pm: Ken Rosenthal reports that Furcal, his wife, and his agent Paul Kinzer met with the A’s in Oakland today.  He received the full tour.  They may discuss financial terms tomorrow.  The Giants and a mystery team are also said to be in the mix.  However, MLB.com’s Chris Haft learned that Kinzer hasn’t spoken with the Giants in two days.

2:56pm: I exchanged emails with Yancen Pujols, sports editor at the El Caribe newspaper.  He reminded me that the author of their article, Rafael Fellito Ortiz, quoted Furcal himself regarding offers from the A’s and Mets.  So the unanswered question here is why Furcal said these things.

9:23am: Let’s sort out the facts involving free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal.

  • Reports about Furcal from yesterday from El Caribe and Impacto Deportivo have been dismissed.  There has been no four-year, $48MM offer from the A’s, no four-year, $52MM offer from the Braves, and no interest from the Mets.  MLB.com’s Mark Bowman says the Braves wouldn’t be in a position to make an offer unless they dealt Yunel Escobar or Kelly Johnson first.
  • Three teams have made offers for Furcal, at least one of them for four years according to Dylan Hernandez.  The A’s and Giants seem to be in the lead, while the Dodgers are slipping out of the picture.  Hernandez says they’re "reluctant to even match the three-year, $39 million contract he completed this year." 
  • Susan Slusser expects negotiations for Furcal to drag into December.
  • The third team making an offer seems to be the "surprise team."  That team is not the Mets, and probably not the Dodgers, Reds, or Braves.  Brown wondered if it could be the Cubs, Orioles, or Cardinals.

Rockies Considering Embree, Shouse, Ohman

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Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post talked to Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, who said the team has internally discussed lefthanded free agent relievers Alan Embree, Brian Shouse, and Will Ohman.  Ken Rosenthal also suggests Embree is a possibility.

Another note from Rosenthal:

The Rockies, at least for the moment, seem content to keep third baseman Garrett Atkins and the three players they acquired in the Matt Holliday trade – left-hander Greg Smith, outfielder Carlos Gonzalez and reliever Huston Street.

Thinking about Street…it makes the most sense to trade him in June or July.  Right now the supply for closers outstrips the demand, plus Street did not finish the season as a closer.  The Rockies should let him rack up 20 saves, prove he’s on top of his game, and then move him during the summer when contenders are desperate for bullpen help.

Rafael Furcal Rumors: Monday

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6:20pm: Impacto Deportivo says the surprise team is the Braves, possibly offering four years and $52MM.  It’d be wise to treat the report with caution until it is confirmed by another source.

6:09pm: The Reds had a brief conversation with Kinzer about Furcal, but it probably isn’t going anywhere.

3:58pm: ESPN’s Enrique Rojas says Furcal traveled to the West Coast today, where he could sign with the Giants or A’s.  However, a third team remains involved.

1:36pm: Yahoo’s Tim Brown talked to Furcal’s agent, Paul Kinzer.  Kinzer called the El Caribe report "bogus."  Apparently there has been no four-year, $48MM offer from Oakland nor are the Mets interested.  And Furcal doesn’t want to move to second base anyway. 

The A’s and Giants are leading the charge for Furcal, with a "surprise team" also in the mix.

12:26pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman does not believe the Mets made an offer to Furcal.

12:11pm: Susan Slusser’s A’s source calls the below report "untrue," but it’s unclear to what degree.

8:40am: Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times passes along a report from El Caribe, a newspaper in the Dominican Republic.  In the report, Rafael-Fellito Ortiz talked to free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal.  Furcal says he has a four-year, $48MM deal on the table from the A’s (with another $2MM in incentives).  Surprisingly, he also has an offer from the Mets, who would use him as a second baseman.  Ortiz believes Furcal might sign soon.

Cafardo’s Latest: Teixeira, Ramirez, Baldelli, Furcal

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The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo has a new article up with a few Red Sox rumors, and one for Oakland:

  • Cafardo thinks Mark Teixeira and Manny Ramirez will not change jerseys this offseason because, while their teams might struggle to afford them, they can’t afford to lose them. Teixeira is the protection and future replacement for Vladimir Guerrero that they have been seeking for a long time. He doesn’t rule out the Yankees however.
  • Rocco Baldelli could be Coco Crisp’s replacement as Boston’s fourth outfielder.  Cafardo says Baldelli met with the Red Sox last week.
  • He continues to hit on the Julio Lugo for Dontrelle Willis or Nate Robertson deal, but now suggests Theo Epstein may also eat some of Lugo’s salary and deal him elsewhere.
  • The A’s are looking closely at Rafael Furcal.
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